Based in Bangkok, this regional airline labels itself "Asia's boutique airline". The origins of the airline go back to 1968, when it started business as Sahakol Air, an air taxi service supporting the oil and gas explorations in the Gulf of Thailand. Scheduled services began in 1986, making it the first privately owned domestic airline in Thailand. The company was re-branded to Bangkok Airways in 1989.
Bangkok Airway's first big claim to fame was probably the construction of its own airport on the resort island of Samui. At the time, the island was largely favored by backpackers, who had the time to make the long journey there by bus and boat. The award-winning airport changed all that by opening up the island to the international jet-set. With the Samui Airport, Bangkok Airways established a pattern of building distinctive airports that share none of typical industrial traits most of us have come to expect from modern airports. They have since opened airports in Sukhothai and Trat, to serve the new island destination of Koh Chang.
While the airline does serve the major tourist destinations - Samui, Phuket, Chiang Mai, etc. - it also takes great pride in servicing important cultural destinations, such as Siem Reap (Angkor Wat), Luang Prabang and Yangon. As can be seen from these destinations, Bangkok Airways has grown beyond its domestic airlines origin and is now a full-fledged regional carrier. It has new long-range planes on order that will allow it to fly to Europe, Australia and the USA.
Bangkok Airways' Fleet
For many years, Bangkok Airways' flew 70-seat ATR 72 aircraft almost exclusively. While these still form the bulk of the fleet, the airline has been adding bigger faster jets in recent years. There are about four MD-90 / B717 craft, and an equal number of A319 / A320s. More Airbus A320 craft are on order, as are four long-range A350 planes (which have been delayed many times). The Airbus A350 planes will be used to transform Bangkok Airways from a regional carrier to an international airline.
Bangkok Airways' Ticketing & Pricing
Flights can be booked on-line at the Bangkok Airways web site. Paperless tickets are issued for most flights. The airline has a reputation for being a bit pricey. This isn't entirely undeserved, but there are ways to get good deals. It's true that mid-day, high season flights to their exclusive destinations like Samui can be expensive, but there are often lower-priced seats available if you take an early morning or late evening flight. If you're traveling to several destinations around Southeast Asia, then you should also look into the airline's Discovery Pass. The pass provides special discounts on itineraries consisting of three or more flights. Note that the pass cannot be purchased on-line. It must be obtained through a Bangkok Airways office outside of Thailand. Consult the web site for local toll free numbers.
Flying Bangkok Airways
All of the airline's flights from Bangkok use Suvarnabhumi International Airport. Check-in for all flights use a single row. At most airports, including Bangkok, the airline operates lounges open to all passengers. In Bangkok, the lounge for domestic passengers is on Concourse A opposite the departure lounges, while the lounge for international passengers is also on Level 4 of Concourse A.
Bangkok Airways is generally very prompt. Your boarding pass will note that you must be at the gate at least 15 minutes before departure, and you better be. The fit-out of the planes is generally comfortable enough, although not especially posh. One thing to note is that the ATR planes have tiny overhead storage bins. A typical carry-on bag may not fit.